New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-06
A SPIRITED ROMANCE.
RlpER HAeGARps NEW STORY.


All who followed the adventures of Allan Quaser-
main and his companions. Sir Henry Curtis and
CANAAN Good, through King Solomon's Mines,
will he delighted to meet them in Mr.. Haa-
Cards new romance ALLAN Quatermain" Is
striking exception to the general rule that attempts
tn carry the characters of one story into another
result In a decline OF interest. For this is perhaps
the best piece of work the author las DONE
Though the scene is still Africa there working
over of old material no repetition. and certainly
no sign of decay IN the writer's inventive power.
The three friends take to themselves fourth ad-
venturer who may be said to become the most
heroic figure in the story. Umsloposaas Is Zniu
chieftaln tho has been forced to abandon his t1oe
by feud. He is a splendid animal. OF enormous
physical strength and thirst for slaughter winch
is never quenched. His weapon 10 battie-sxe' Oh
the handle OF which he has registered oy noecnes
the lives he has taken. after the agreeable fash'on
Of certain Western desperadoes who employ the
burts of their revolvers in the same way. Umsiopo-
gaas Is ferocious old savage. but his prowess and
his picturesaueness make ii impossible not to adj
rnire him. and he IL the central figure in at least
two as spirited and graphic battle scenes as modern
fiction can offer.
The object of the new qnest Is the discovery Of
mysterious white people said to exist beyond
Mount Kena. far In the interior, IN a country &C
cess TO which Is prevented by mpenetrabie thorn
forests scores of miles in depth. The adventnrers
on their way to Mount KenIa get into trouble
with the fierce Nasal and while resting at a mis-
slonary station the river Tapa war-parV
selzes the little daughter of the missionary and
lays siege TO the mission offering the ch'ld in re-
turn fol one of tho travellers but declaring their
purpose TO kill them ALL. Then follows most
stirring account of attack upon the sleeping
savages. Unlslopogaas and Curtis undertake 10
bold one of the outlets TO the kraal in which the
Masal camped with their battle-axes. while the
rest divide and assail the savages from different
points. great battle ensues, and though the
Nasal eutnnmber their sssailants tive to one. tie
firearms, t suddeuness Of the onset. and the re-
sulting confusion. more than offset their
numerical superiority. great and grim
slaughter" eusues in which the figure of the eicau-
tic Zulu swinging hts deadly axe staods out in high
relief He is an African Paadin. with the virtues
rs well the defects Of his savagery: herocally
brave enduring, loyal TO death wise IN coun-
ell. swift In action, simple OF ideas,
poetic In expression. The three White
men have fortunately bethought them to
procure light shirts Of mail for tins expedition.
their experience IN the SOlomon's Mines adventure
having taught them the value of such defensive
armor when fgSsIue against savages armed with
spears swords and axes. UnsopOgaas is with
difficulty prevailed en TO put on one OF these mail
shirts before gelBg into the battle with the Nasal,
and he owes his life TO the protection II affords
Henceforth the old chief fully appreciates the
"iron skin,"s rs he calls it, and Is delighted when
Curtis bestows IL upon him
After leaving Mackenzie's mission the party
travel until they come to large lake. and while
exploring this body OF water in a canoe they are
sucked INTO subterranean channel and plunged
into pitch darkness The adventures encountered
No., ne n
ncter They narrowly escape destruction from
jet of natural gas which has become ignited there.
aud in trying to pass which they are nearly over
come WITH the heat. Then there is particularly
grim and CHASTITY epiIods in which they are at
tackled by swarms OF gigantic crabs while resting
Oh the bank a great canon. All. Haegard III ror-
minal note states that he read about giant of
this charac er IN book of travels, but that he can
not recall the name of The work. He is undOubt-
eddy justified In producing these giant crabs A
few years ago. In narrative OF travels, we
think in New-Guinea. a story was told OF
party being disturbed while eating on the
beach by an Invasion Of giant spider-crabs. These
hideous creatures were described as standing more
than TWO feet high, and being decidedly formid-
able adversares. Mr.. Haggard may be right also
in making his crabs scream. bat Of that we are not
so sure. having no recollection that the New-GulDea
crabs emitted any sound. The artist who drew the
Illustration for Mr. Haggard's erab-scens has. how
ever made The of belittlng his erustaeeans
As represented they do not surpass many OF the
edible varieties and eertaialy do not deserve to be
called gigantic"
After various happenings the travellers find
themselves at the goal of their journey. before the
wonderful city Milosis, the splendid capital of the
Zu-VeadI people, white whose existence it is
perhaps unnecessary to try to account for They
may be of Persian descent They may be sprung from
one of the lost tribes of Israel At all events they
sun-vorshppers, and civilized alter the manner 81
the older civilizations, which, though they knew
nothing of electricity. steam the PRINT press or
gunpowder, nevertheless succeeded probably IN
tanning IA fair average OF comfort and happi-
ness. The Za-veodis have made great advances III
architecture and sculpture shown IN their beau
tful temples and palaces. In the description or
their grand works OF Grt AIR. Haggard has given
the reins to his Imagination and produced
serss of brilliant and beautiful pict-
ures of which the Flower Temple" Is
the most remarkable. But the reader will
probably hasten from the architectural merits
Of the FrownIag City TO the action of the story.
cad will thus encounter the twin Queens OF the
Zu-vendi, tho blonde beauty Nyleptha and Inc
brunette beauty sorais. These charming young
Queens are at strongly attracted by the hand
some sir Henry Curtis, and they resist the I'M
aIniable purpose of the Chief Priest, AEON, who
desires to make q burat offering of the travellers
because hey unwittingly slew some sacred hip
popotami in approaching the city. They escape
deadly. snare laid for them by the vindlctive
priest, but, unfortunately, the two Queens have
both fallen in love with Curtis, and the result Is
civil war and general Confusion. Ii 10 during this
period Of excitement that the Zulu performs bis
last and finest feat The chapter hsw Ums'o-
pogaas ne i'd the stair 10 really superb piece OF
he tha frafn tna m he
hairbreadth escape of Nyleptha from her treaeher-
Gus sisters plot and the majestic chivalry OF the
great Zulus magnificent feat of arms the his
toric staircase, make up whole which for fire.